What was the most effective way you personally used to quit smoking and not gain weight?

Question

I really need to do both. The thing is my kids do not know I smoke, and they have never seen me smoke, and I have never ever smoked anywhere near them... It's a big secret my husband has been helping me keep. He smokes and is stick thin. I'm not so lucky, and can't afford to gain weight. I do eat when I'm bored.. and I'm afraid I'll blimp out if I try to quit all together all at once. Need answers! :)

Answer 1

You probably will gain some weight no matter how you try to quit - accept it, and recognize that it is worth it.

The worst justification for smoking is "but if I quit I will gain weight". Oh cry me a river about weight gain. Do you prefer walking around with an oxygen tank when you get older? Or having your kids watch you die of lung cancer? Ooooh, I bet they'll enjoy that. And if your husband keeps smoking maybe they can watch both of you die of lung cancer - and maybe at the same time! Oh, that will be fun.

Anyway, weight gain will probably be the least of your problems when you quit - particularly for the first 2-6 months. Your husband and kids will probably see a side of you that nobody imagined was there, and that nobody wants to see.

After you've been quit for 6 months time, or so, and things have settled down then you can start to work on that weight gain. And you will find it is a lot easier to lose the excess weight than it was to quit smoking.

Good luck with it (and sorry for the snarky tone - I actually find a woman with a few extra pounds on her much more attractive than a woman with a cigarette between her fingers).

===
And good work, Chris e! Keep at it.

Answer 2

14 years ago I successfully quite smoking and amazingly lost weight at the same time. I had tried unsuccessfully numerous times before, but was determined to quit. Here are some of the things I did and have shared with many of my friends over the years:

1. I decided that I was going to quit, no if, ands, or buts - the cigarettes had to go.

2. I used the "patch". Amusingly I had people tell me that I had "whimped out" by not going cold turkey . Bottom-line - the patch was temporary and the quitting was permanent.

Caution: I initially had a lot of side effects. One day I figured out how much nicotine I was getting smoking and then determined that I was getting twice as much nicotine from the patch then I was when I smoked! It would be similar to trying to stop drinking by drinking twice as much. Once I lowered the dose I was fine.

3. Whenever I craved a cigarette (and I did!) I would change my activity - go for a walk, move to a different room.

4. Everytime I said "I'd really like a cigarette", I answer myself with "now why would I want that - I'm a nonsmoker!".

Smoking is as much a social habit as it is a physical addiction. Its not easy to quit but well worth the effort.

How did I lose weight - I started to walk and swim more. Since I was on a health kick I also started eating right. I did NOT chew gum or crunch on carrot sticks. Since I often smoked after eating, I avoided snacking and only dealt with that craving after a meal.

Your husband may be "stick thin" but that will not do a thing to save his lungs. The good thing about your children not knowing is that their lungs have been spared years of second hand smoke. Since you don't smoke around your children this would be a great time to spend a lot more time with them. Keep in mind that iif you do not quit that at some point they will smell the smoke and either figure out you are smoking or ask what's burning.

Best of luck.

Answer 3

Buy whole cloves and pop one in your mouth when you want a cigarette. Then food tastes so weird, you won't want to eat it. I went through two full things of cloves. It takes anywhere from three to six months to really stop the cravings. You will be cranky often during that time. But your breath will smell nice and of cloves. Are you children old enough to be alone while you walk around the block? Increasing your activity will help you get out of the house and away from the triggers that set off the cravings also. I gained weight, but mostly due to the exercise. i weighed more, but it was muscle and looked better. But I was thin when I quit. Journalling helps quite a bit also. Employ every technique possible, all at the same time if necessary. I quit and did not tell my roommate, and it was three weeks before I finally mentioned it (he did not even smoke). MEN! He had not even noticed.

On average the person who successfully quits gains 12 pounds the first year, but by the end of the second year has lost eight of those and net gain is only 4 pounds.

Hope hubby is going to quit at the same time. Will be immeasurably easier for you if he does. You two can also commisserate, when the crankiness does not lead you to get crossways.

Answer 4

Smoking is for sure one of the hardest things you will do in your life. I am now smoke free for 7 months after smoking for 20. I work in a doctor's office and my main motivation was newly diagnosed lung CA patients( about 6 of them at once) I gained about 16 pounds and yes it freaked me out but last month I reached a plateau. I have managed to lose 4 pounds and will continue to watch my portions, Get help when you are ready to quit, my dr gave me Wellbutrin and Xanax, they worked like a charm after MANY failed attempts. Good luck and don't let the weight bother you, one thing a a time!

Answer 5

It is a very common concern, but the benefits to quit smoking are far greater than gaining a few pounds. You can do this. Maybe you can get your husband to quit as well. This site has some good info about this. Good Luck !

Answer 6

Consider seeing your physician and asking them to prescribe Chantix. It's a new anti-smoking medication that has better success rates than Zyban/Wellbutrin and also has an excellent support program with it. In the clinical trials, weight gain when patients quit smoking was around 1 pound only.... much better than when people quit without help.

Answer 7

The American Cancer Society has a wealth of information about this. You could try checking their website. When I quit smoking 25 years ago, I remember reading in their literature: "water on the inside, water on the outside."

That's the way I quit. Drink lots of water. Instead of always having an ash tray or cigarette, always have a glass of water. It helps to flush the chemicals out of your body. Take lots of showers, it helps to wash the smell from you, so you won't smell the cigarette smoke and crave another one.

Drinking lots of water also helps you lose weight. Many times, people don't drink enough water, and your body craves it and gains weight because of that.

Answer 8

I had tried to quit smoking all my life and just couldn't get there. I then tried doing a chant for quiting smoking. I laughed and didn't believe it, but tried it, and that was 16 years ago and haven't had one since.

Get on eBay and search on " Magick of Chant-O-Matics".
It works. Nothing occult or evil, just chants that really work.

I am not doing any comercials here, just telling you what worked for me. Didn't gain any weight either. When you gotta snack, try some yogurt. It's good, and it's good for you and you can eat all you want.

Darryl S.

Answer 9

I quit June 22, 1996. Just threw away my last pack, and stopped.

That was after 25 years of smoking 2 packs of menthols a day.

I was not a pleasant person to be around for about six months...

Answer 10

I managed to quit after many tries, finally went cold turkey, but I did not avoid weight gain.
My friend quit & avoided weight gain by exercising.
Good luck, successfully quitting is one of the best health moves you will ever make!